Monday, June 18, 2012

The President Is An Inspiration To Youth Who Dream

Here in South Texas, I know quite a few Dreamers - young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, and who have grown up here, knowing no other home at all.  They are generally hard-working and loyal American youth who want only to study hard, work hard and make a place for themselves in the world, a place here, in their home, Texas.

Congress has abandoned these children, refusing to pass The DREAM Act that would allow them to become citizens.  Congress apparently wants these children, who grow up into contributing, if frightened, members of society, to live always with the shadow of deportation over their heads, never allowing their talents and hard work to raise them to a place where they may become noticed, no matter what the lack of the full, unhidden use of their skills costs America.

Congress is treasonous like that these days:  always trying to push people who the Republicans view as "Other"down so they they are too hungry or sick or uneducated or scared of deportation to help America as they would if they were healthy and cared for and safe.  If everyone's contributions were valued, we might by now have ended world hunger, cured countless diseases and found clean solutions to our energy needs.  Republicans don't really want America to be strong, though - they just want their bank accounts to be bulging.

The President, though - the President wants to encourage young Americans to do their best.  I think he wants that more than any President in my adulthood has ever wanted it.  I can tell by the stupid, lukewarm letters my teen used to get back from past Presidents when she was little compared to the amazing, inspiring letters that my Youngest's Brownie troop gets back from this President today, the way he encourages them to work hard for America.  I can tell by the way he respects all Americans, not just the ones who are straight or male or like him in other ways.

I can tell by the way he has decided not to deport DREAMers anymore - to encourage them to work hard and do their best and know that their home - America -  will stand with them just as they are standing with America.

The President wants us all to work together to make America strong.

1 comment:

gojirama said...

I agree with everything you say here. I cannot believe the way our nation treats other human beings as the "other".